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Friday, September 16, 2011

Terry Kappel Announces Candidacy for the McHenry County Board from District 6

Terry Kappel of Woodstock is an active member of the Democratic Party of McHenry County Central Committee.He has taken the lead in membership recruitment and development and has worked tirelessly for local candidates.

He recently distinguished himself by pulling together on 48 hours notice a highly successful protest to the policies of U.S. Congressman Joe Walsh on Woodstock Square.After his performance as master of ceremonies at that event, I know he was asked by several people to consider becoming a candidate for office himself.

He has thrown his hat in the ring for a seat on the McHenry County Board from District 6.Geographically, this is the county’s largest district encompassing most of the largely rural western part of the county and the communities of Harvard, Hebron, Union, Marrengo, and portions of Wonder Lake, Woodstock, and Lake in the Hills.

Here is what he had to say in an announcement e-mail:

There will be many challenges I'll face during this effort. I will need to raise a substantial amount of money, my goal will be $20,000. Since I have a very modest amount of money to live on anyway, I will be unable to offer many of my own resources to the campaign. Though I certainly [will] be spending some money. Therefore, I will have to enlist a large number of volunteers to help with door to door canvassing, making phone calls, walking in parades, as well as hosting and attending house parties/ coffees, and other events.

I will also face personal challenges as well. I am currently receiving Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits, and I do not have the money for a car, so I depend upon the very limited public transportation in our county to get around. This means, while I can get to Harvard, and the portions of North Woodstock and Wonder Lake which are in my County Board District, I will need help from others in order to get to places like Marengo, The western portion of Grafton township and all the rural portions of District 6 (which would be un-walkable anyway.)… elected.

…While these personal obstacles will be a challenge, I believe they also provide me with a perspective that few typical candidates for office would have. I know from personal experience, what a large number of people in our county also know—what it's like to be dependent upon public services and transportation. I know what life is like day to day for people who are barely getting by on a fixed income. I know what it's like to try to get around on a bus service, with routes laid out in the late 70s, when the population of the county was less than half what it is today. I know what it is like to be dependent upon the generous yet far from adequate private charities in the county. And, I know how much more need there is than there are services being provided to address those needs.

I'd like to see more services for those in need, and services designed to offer an easier transition from idleness to productive, contributing member of our communities. It is my belief and hope that there is room for at least one person in county government who knows what it is like to be in need of those services.

I would also like my campaign to be focused upon a grassroots effort which will enlist activists to work for all Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. While the absolute objective of running for office is to be elected. I believe there should be larger objectives as well. Expanding the Democratic Party to a point of providing a genuine two party system in this county is one, and fighting for those who least can fight effectively for themselves, as well as fighting for progressive causes, and a balanced county budget are all objectives which would also be objectives worth fighting for.

After all, if a candidate should have something worth running for, other than just to win an election. I will hope to have help from each of you, and many others, in putting together an effective platform, and identifying issues I should focus on, and to flush out the details on issues, so that programs to be introduced upon election would be ready to go right away.

Please share your ideas and suggestions with me at your convenience.

Terry Kappel

Kappel is planning on a Sept. 25 Bears/Packers game fundraiser at a location to be announced to kick off his campaign.